Baby Place

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

For all of you that have little girls has anyone heard of labia adhesion? I took Payton for her check up yesterday and he noticed she had it. So he had to stretch it to literally unstick it. My poor baby was screaming. HE said if he couldn't get it open he would have to give her estrogen cream. Anyway he got it open and now when I change her he said to check it and stretch it a little and put vasaline on it. I had never heard of this before and am wodnering why the hospital didn't tell me to do this when I took her home. Was this something I was just supposed to know. I tend to be very careful when I clean that area and non invasive if that's the right word. I just use a wash cloth and very gently clean there. I felt so badly after we left. She was in such pain and I felt stupid cause I didn't know I was supposed to do this. Although when I had my son I didn't know I was supposed to peel the skin back either.

Terri B · Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Posts: 59

I've heard of it though my daughter doesn't have it. Not all baby girls get this. I've read that it often isn't anything to be overly concerned about unless it is covering the opening of the urethra, trapping urine in the genital area. It often resolves itself in puberty when her body starts to produce more Estrogen naturally. Putting Vaseline on it with each diaper change is supposed to help keep it open though. Don't feel bad that you didn't know about this-we can't know it all now, can we???
Terri

Nikki · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 407 Location: Toronto

Hi Jenna,

Sorry I can't help you with the problem you are having with your daughter but I'm pretty sure there was something about labia adhesion several months ago on either this board or the pregnancy board.....you could look in the archives.
You mentioned though that you were never told to retract your son's foreskin. Alex is not circumcised and we were told not to retract the foreskin and that this was something that would happen naturally and until it happened on it's own that we should not pull it back to clean.
I just clean him with a washcloth gently but have never attempted to pull it back......have you with your son??

Mom of Jack · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 35 Location: Louisiana

Hi Jenna! This sounds like something a friend's daughter had and she was about 3 years old when it happened. The doc said it could have been that she was allergic to something that touched her there (perhaps her soap powder, soap, bubble bath, etc.). My friend had to put some cream (perhaps estrogen cream) on it and gradually pull it apart. It eventually came apart and she is doing fine now. Perhaps this was caused with your daughter from something you are bathing her in or something in the diapers you use...I don't know for sure.

Try not to beat yourself up over this...there are so many things that go on with babies...we can't know it all!!

Hugs,

Beth

Mom of 2 · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 303

My dd had this. Her dr. said it occurs in a small amount of girls due to not enough estrogen. He said it would probably happen a couple more times before she was 2 and it did start to once after the first time. Although I have heard of others occuring longer. At the visit he tried to gently pull it apart, but not to the point it hurt her and it only opened a bit so we had to put premarin-sp? (estrogen cream) for about a week and gently pull it until it was opened completly. We were never told to put vaseline on it (but I've read others on the board have) just to gently pull during baths to keep it open. My ds is uncirced and your not supposed to pull back the foreskin because it is still attached and you can cause damage to it. In the pamphlet they gave at the hospital it said that it usually loosens around 2yrs but can take up to 10yrs. I'm assuming my dr. will give direction later on since they do genital checks at well-checkups.

keira · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 19

EEEEEEEEkkkkkkkkkkkk! I can't believe the Dr. tried pulling it apart........our female Dr. did NOT do that, but prescribed the estrogen (premarin) cream.......It took more than the 7 days the Dr. had said, but worked out fine...........freaked me out too! Our doll is now 2.3 months, and is fine (and I didn't go crazy with the vaseline thing, they say that keeps it open). good luck, and don't worry, it'll all work out, but keep a close eye on it! Up until 6 yrs. I believe. Keira

DadSteve · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 290

Okay .. I think I walked into the wrong thread.

(slowly backs out of the room, hoping no one saw him)

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

Hi guys!!
It was covering the opening of the urethea. That's why he had to open it. I will have to look in the archives. I am just mad the hospital never told me to do it when I went home with her. Mikey is circumcised but the doctor said to still pull the skin down or it grows over the penis head. Again not something I was told until the skin grew over a bit and the doctor had to fix it. But as far as payton he didn't make it sound like it had something to do with an allergy. I will have to double check that. He sai if I keep checking it and stretching it everytime I change her it shouldn't happen again. He wanted to stretch it rather then try the cream cause it was completely closed and he didn't want her to get a bladder infection.
Steve we saw you!!! YOu keep it up and we are all going to send you e-mails about......................vagina's!!! LOL!!

Mom of 2 · Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 303

My dd was completely closed also, but he didn't pull it open and wasn't concerned about it causing anything. He just gently attempted then gave the cream. I don't think doctors tell you about it cause it doesn't occur in a large # of girls. However they should have told you how to care for your sons or given you pamphlets. I was given pamphlets on how to care for your newborn with both my kids. I highly doubt it would be caused by an allergy since they give estrogen since there is a lack of it to open it.

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

It was alwful when he was pulling it open. I mean he was gently but it still hurt her. It's funny though cause he told me it was quite common. My hospital was bad that way. They didn't semd me home with anything. Just new born babies. A how to book would have been nice. Very Happy

MissSparky · Guest

i must be lucky i went to the hospital i did, they made me fill out forms saying i knew what i was doing before they would discharge my baby to me, and they sent me home with this book about 2 inches thick, with just about every medical problem from birth to adolescence, and how to handle it... that hasnt happened with my little girl., and i hope it doesnt, it makes me sad when she cries, id hate to see what happens to me if she was screaming in pain Sad

jenna103 · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 904 Location: Long Island

I thought I knew what I was doing. LOL!! I just had never heard of labia adhesion. Who knew!!
HAppy one week birthday to your baby by the way. :0)

MissSparky · Guest

we say thank you's Smile

and she sends her hiccups as thanks.. hehehehe... she gets the hiccups all the time, 7th time today for her

DadSteve · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 290

Are you people still at it? Let me know when you're done with this discussion.

(backs out of room once again)

MissSparky · Guest

once again, youve been caught steve...

*takes a picture of steve backing out of the room* Very Happy